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IWF SummerSlam (1997)
SummerSlam 1997 was the tenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the International Wrestling Federation (IWF). It took place on August 3 1997 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The tagline was "Hart & Soul". Background Summerslam 1997 featured professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines that were played out on Raw Is War and other International Wrestling Federation television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated into a wrestling match or series of matches. The featured rivalry heading into the event involved IWF champion The Undertaker and Bret Heart. On the July 7 episode of Raw is War at Edmonton, Alberta, Heart was announced as the number one contender for the IWF title. In an interview with Vince Matteson, Heart said that if he did not win the title at Summerslam, he would not wrestle on American soil again. The next week, Shawn Michaels, Heart's nemesis, requested Vince Matteson to be a part of SummerSlam. On the July 21 episode of Raw Is War, Heart, his brother Owen, and his brother-in-law The British Bulldog (The Heart Foundation), challenged three American wrestlers into a flag match. Shawn Michaels was announced as a special referee for the main event at SummerSlam, and in response to the announcement, Heart attacked Michaels and Matteson. Later, the Heart Foundation defeated the American team that contained the Tag team champions Steve Austin and Dude Love, with the Undertaker, where the Heart Foundation won thanks to an interference from Brian Pillman. The next week, Hrart challenged The Patriot, a match where Hart lost thanks to an interference from Michaels. After the match, the referees prevented Heart from attacking Michaels while the Undertaker watched from the entrance ramp. A predominant feud entering the event featured IWF Intercontinental Champion Owen Heart and Steve Austin. On July 6, on the Canadian Stampede pay-per-view, Heart managed to pin Austin in a five-on-five match. The day after it, Austin attacked Heart while he was singing the Canadian national anthem. At the same night, Austin told Vince Matteson that if he did not win the title from Heart at Summerslam, he will kiss Heart's ass. The next week, Austin teamed up with Dude Love to win the vacant tag team titles in a match with Heart and the British Bulldog. On the July 21 episode of Raw Is War, Heart's teamed managed to defeat Austin's team at a three on three flag match. The next week, Heart attacked Austin during a tag team championship match against The Godwinns, counting him out. After the match, Austin attacked Heart. Another rivalry heading into event featured the IWF European Champion The British Bulldog and Ken Shamrock. The two were at opposing teams of the Canadian Stampede pay-per-view. On the July 14 episode of Raw Is War, the Bulldog said that if he lost at Summerslam, he would eat a can of dog food right after the match. The next week, the Bulldog attacked Shamrock during a match with Vader, powerslamming him on the steel ramp, and making him lose the match via countout. The next week, Bulldog and Shamrock competed in an arm wrestling contest, but as Shamrock was about to win, the Bulldog headbutted him, hit him with a steel chair and poured a can of dog food over him. Results ; ; *Mankind defeated Kunter Kearst Kelmsley (with Chyna) in a Steel cage match (16:25) *Goldust (w/Marlena) defeated Brian Pillman (7:15) *The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) defeated The Godwinns (Henry and Phineas) (9:51) *The British Bulldog © defeated Ken Shamrock by disqualification to retain the IWF European Championship (7:29) *Los Boricuas (Savio Vega, Miguel Perez, Jose Estrada, Jr. and Jesús Castillo) defeated The Disciples of Apocalypse (Crush, Chainz, 8-Ball and Skull) in a Eight-Man Tag Team Match (9:07) *Steve Austin defeated Owen Heart © to win the IWF Intercontinental Championship (16:16) *Bret Heart defeated The Undertaker © (w/ Shawn Michaels as special guest referee) to win the IWF Championship (28:09) Notes *This is the first SummerSlam to have the IWF championship change hands. *Todd Pettengill introduced New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Gorilla Monsoon and The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher). Todd Pettengill went on to say how Whitman took taxes off of professional wrestling in New Jersey and that was the reason why the IWF had returned after not being in New Jersey for over eight years. Monsoon then presented Whitman with a replica IWF Championship belt for getting rid of the taxes. *This show marked Pettengill's last appearance for the IWF. *This was the final SummerSlam to use the generic blue and orange SummerSlam ring apron and rafter banner. This was the first SummerSlam not to use red, white, and blue ring ropes, opting instead for the RAW is WAR scheme of red ropes. Other on-screen talent See also *List of IWE pay-per-view events *IWE Event History *SummerSlam DVD release External links